


Sleeping Apart

by RobronSugdenDingle



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Arguing, Beds, Couches, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-09
Updated: 2019-03-09
Packaged: 2019-11-14 06:31:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18047351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobronSugdenDingle/pseuds/RobronSugdenDingle
Summary: Based on 6th March argument and 7th March reveal that Aaron slept on the couch. Here's how...





	Sleeping Apart

They had a late dinner, a very late dinner at that. Robert couldn't be bothered to cook, too busy cleaning random things around the house to pass the time. He already cancelled a meeting that would have taken up his time, and the last thing he wanted was to go to the pub and have Aaron think he was going out on the pull or something. So he was stuck inside.  
  
He opened a tin of mushy peas, shoved frozen chips and burgers in the oven and grabbed himself a can.  
  
Stress...so much stress...  
  
He opened the top cupboard to try and find a glass for himself when he realised that wasn't the cup cupboard, but the baby cupboard. As in...Sebs cupboard. With his little personalised white sippy cup sitting in the front, his name in black cursive writing...a present from Chas actually.  
  
When dinner was ready, he shoved both plates on the table and debated in his own mind whether to call up for Aaron or not. Deciding not to, he went upstairs and found Aaron lying flat on their bed, arm raised in the air above his face holding his phone. Aaron noticed Robert from the corner of his eye and sighed with a roll of his eyes.  
  
"I'm not setting up any more secret meetings if that's what you're worried about..."  
  
Robert scowled at him, but pressed his lips together and he rolled his eyes.  
  
"I wasn't. Just...dinners out. Eat it, don't eat it, I don't care...your loss"   
  
And back downstairs Robert went.   
  
When Robert was halfway through eating his dinner, eating it on the couch with the television on because...he couldn't be bothered to feel proper today, Aaron walked downstairs. He took his plate, shoved it in the microwave for a few seconds and then walked upstairs.  
  
Robert mentally cringed because...great, their bedroom was gonna stink of food now...  
  
So yeah, overall, dinner was awkward.  
  
Liv was smart enough to be staying at Gabby's, both of them discussing some new tv show on Netflix. They sounded like they were having a much better time than Robert and Aaron were by a long shot.  
  
Robert didn't bother doing the dishes, shoved them in the sink and switched the television off and walked into his room. Aaron walked out, nearly bumping into his husbands shoulders and Robert pulled back the covers on their bed.  
  
He heard Aaron's footsteps behind him and turned his head to glance at the smaller man. He sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, folded his hands together and looked up at Aaron.  
  
"I just want us to have a discussion..."  
  
"About what Robert? There's nothing to talk about now. I messed it up, like I always do, we're never gonna be parents, don't you get that?"  
  
"Don't...don't say it like tha-"  
  
Aaron groaned and rubbed his head with the heel of his palm.  
  
"Robert, we're never gonna afford America. What are you not getting already? We're screwed, finished even! This was just another one of our stupid dreams that never came true!"  
  
All Robert could do was just...watch Aaron as he said those words. He no longer looked angry, just disappointed, annoyed at himself, tired even. Aaron wasn't angry...no, he was upset and tired and that was that.  
  
"Stupid dream? What are you even talking about?"  
  
"After you proposed...the second time...we talked about me adopting Seb...never really got around to that did we? Considering you abandoned him, practically threw him away first chance you got!"  
  
Robert shot up from his seat and pointed an angry finger at his husband. He was slightly taller than him, so he was just that tiny bit more intimidating when angry.  
  
"Don't you ever say I threw him away! I didn't throw Seb away! Neither did I abandon him either!"  
  
"Yeah? So where is he Robert? Cause he's not here is he?"  
  
"This isn't even about Seb! It's about you, what's going on in your head to have made you act like this! You, throwing money around...trying to buy her off!"  
  
Aaron shook his head and bit his tongue, a disbelieving smile beginning to paint it's way onto his face. He scoffed and glared at Robert.  
  
"Yeah, cause you'd know about buying people off don't you?"  
  
And that was the final straw for Robert.  
  
"Get out...I'm serious, out. Sleep on the couch for all i care, just get out!"  
  
Aaron made sure to grab his phone charger before heading out and Robert slammed the door behind him. Aaron ended up looking in the spare bed sheets cupboard and pulled out an orange coloured one before grabbing the pillow too. He sighed, angry at himself for speaking yet again without thinking and he tossed his phone aside to shove on the PlayStation and begin a gaming binge or something.   
  
.........  
  
It was around the back of three in the morning when Robert woke up, realised he had ended up on Aaron's side, a leg bent because that's usually where he would have his legs draped over a familiar waist...  
  
His hand was shoved underneath Aaron's pillow, his stupid cheap shower gel radiating off of it and he only realised then that this was officially their first time sleeping apart in their married life. It was horrible, the bed too big and empty, too cold because Aaron was the equivalent of a human radiator during the winter.  
  
And no, unfortunately this wasn't one of their arguments that a quick round in bed would fix, but instead, a quick...night apart would be more beneficial.  
  
It didn't help get rid of Roberts guilty brain, telling him to go downstairs and usher Aaron back into bed.  
  
So he slipped on a dressing gown and grabbed an empty glass from Aaron's side of the bed and walked downstairs with it, claiming it had to be cleaned. Aaron was playing that PlayStation, looking as bored as ever as if he wasn't enjoying it. Robert eyed the covers and pillow thrown over the couch and sighed.  
  
"You're not coming to bed?"  
  
"After being kicked out? Nah you're alright"  
  
"Is it any wonder? We said we wouldn't look back and you go back to the past, using my old self as a weapon! You know I'm not proud of the person I am. You want me to use all the bad things you did in the past whenever we argue?"  
  
Aaron shook his head and then turned it slightly just so Robert could see the side of his face.  
  
"Right. Sorry, no more past mistakes..."  
  
Robert huffed and didn't wash the cup, just tossed it in the sink and waited at the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"You sleeping down here or what?"  
  
Or what? More like come back to bed...  
  
"Yeah I am. Just go to bed Robert..."  
  
And when Aaron heard Roberts footsteps go upstairs, he switched off the television and buried himself under the covers.  
  
There was a reason that they never slept apart, it's why they broke tradition on their wedding night, purely because they can't sleep without each other. The couch felt too suffocating, the bed too big, couch too warm, bed too cold.  
  
If they had to count, they would say they had four hours sleep.  
  
Reality kicked in and revealed they only had three.

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts?


End file.
